Usage of wireless devices such as a mobile phone, a smartphone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), etc. has exploded in recent time. Although this tremendous increase in use has affected the individual owner, there are additional complications created for a group, organization, and/or company that are using wireless devices. As the types, number, and usage of wireless devices continues to increase, it becomes critical for a company to better manage aspects of the wireless devices, such as the number and/or types of wireless devices, as well as to accurately track charges, such as monthly utilization to actual cost. Companies also find a requirement to help ensure that costs/billing be applied to a particular division, department, and/or individual level. Other important issues include keeping and tracking available information on the asset(s), such as what manufacturer, model, and/or software is installed, and how the wireless device is configured. Wireless device users also require wireless device support, either live or self-help, for problem resolution. Software updates are another requirement, keeping the wireless device up-to-date with the latest fixes and/or enhancements.
An illustrative scenario is a corporation, XYZ Corp. (XYZ), which requires mobile phones and PDA devices for employees. As such, XYZ contracts both with a cellular service provider, CP1, and with CP2, a mobile phone and PDA device provider. Both CP1 and CP2 are to each provide services for corporate and personal employee usage of their respective wireless devices. This requires XYZ and/or the employees to contact each provider (i.e., CP1, CP2) for monthly usage, billing, support, etc. Certainly with any size company, but in particular with large companies, because of the vast quantities of wireless devices and the use thereof, and/or the globalization of a company, suitable and efficient management of the wireless devices has quickly become less attainable.
A consideration in managing wireless devices is security. Wireless devices are often misplaced, stolen, and/or lost. Especially in the case of a stolen wireless device, the thief may instantly obtain access to all information held in the wireless device (e.g., phone numbers, proprietary information, security codes, banking information, credit card information, trade secret information, personal information, etc.) as well as have unfettered access to the Internet, often aided by the ill gotten information immediately within the wireless device. Unfortunately, because wireless device technologies are constantly improving, the information (i.e., type and quantity) both within the wireless device and/or accessible from the wireless device also has increased profoundly. While this growth in technology certainly enhances the legitimate wireless device user's experience, in the wrong hands it can also only further aid the criminal with his/her activities. Security management of wireless devices becomes further complicated in the scenario where the corporation has a plurality (e.g., perhaps hundreds) of wireless device providers, coupled with a variety of wireless service providers, matched with a large number of employees (e.g., hundreds, thousands, etc.) all scattered around the globe. As a result, security has become an even larger concern in the arena of managing wireless devices.
In view of the foregoing, a need exists to overcome one or more of the deficiencies in the related art.